A Jacksonville woman has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for her involvement in a major armed drug trafficking operation, and for laundering over a million dollars. Yaquasia Delcarmen, 28, received her sentence from U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger for conspiracy to distribute a substantial amount of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The discovery was made public through a release on the United States Attorney’s Office website.
According to the same release, Delcarmen played a key role from October 2022 to April 2024, managing a network led by her boyfriend, Nathaniel Hatcher, III. Involved in flying in bulk marijuana from California, she aided in the operations' logistics—distributing the drug from short-term rental properties and asserting control using armed protection. Her criminal activities didn't cease after Hatcher was arrested; she continued running the drug trafficking ring on his direction, even attempting to tamper with the judicial process by intimidating a witness through social media.
The case against Delcarmen's associates further reveals the extent of the network. Co-conspirators Desmond Maxwell, Al’Donta Easterling, and James Toney, pled guilty to their respective charges. Charges against them ranged from straw-purchasing firearms to marijuana distribution and even involvement in a drive-by shooting. Their guilty pleas all carry significant federal prison sentences. Nathaniel Hatcher, the ringleader, awaits his day in court, with trial scheduled for the next year.
This crackdown is a result of an operation led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative targeting high-level crimes. Agencies involved include Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS – Criminal Investigation, FBI, ATF, United States Postal Inspection Service, and several state and local entities. The prosecution of Delcarmen was orchestrated by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike, signaling potency in the fight against organized crime.
Today, Sheriff Hardwick joined the U.S. Attorney's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, and partnering agencies to announce federal charges filed against two men responsible for a drive-by… pic.twitter.com/7eJJQdqlxW
— St. Johns County Sheriff's Office (@TeamSJSO) August 21, 2024
